Abstract: Violent extremist movements and ongoing military operations have prompted the Department of Defense (DoD) to place greater emphasis on improving language and regional proficiency, which includes cultural awareness. GAO was asked to assess the extent to which DoD has done the following: (1) developed a strategic plan to guide its language and regional proficiency transformation efforts, and (2) obtained the information it needs to identify potential language and regional proficiency gaps and assess risk. To conduct this assessment, GAO analyzed DoD's Defense Language Transformation Roadmap, reviewed the military services' strategies for transforming language and regional proficiency capabilities, and assessed the range of efforts intended to help identify potential gaps. GAO recommends that DoD do the following: (1) develop a comprehensive strategic plan for its language and regional proficiency transformation, (2) establish a mechanism to assess the regional proficiency skills of its military and civilian personnel, and (3) develop a methodology to identify its language and regional proficiency requirements. DoD concurred with GAO's recommendations and stated it is taking related actions.
| Limitations: |
 APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE |
| Description: |
Congressional rept. |
| Pages: |
31 |
| Report Date: |
Jun-2009 |
| Report Number: |
A137005 |
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